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The PM40 closed Friday, 28 August 2026, at 5531.

Get the latest PM40 updates by listening to the weekly Nips show and the PM40 Daily Show on Pulp & Paper Radio International.

The PM40 closed 28 August 2026 up 0.1% from the 29 August 2025 level.

In this issue of Disconnected Comparisons, we evaluate Sonoco and Weyerhaeuser.

The Trump Administration's executive orders cut across dozens of industries. This searchable tool breaks down the orders and their impact.

Forisk Consulting (news@forisk.com) is out with a new white paper noting that 31 wood-using pulp mills have closed in the United States from 2019 through July 2026. They do not state whether this includes mills in Canada. However, the increase in the consumption of recycled fiber plus the South American increase in virgin pulp capacity leaves one unsurprised with this news.

First printer in the US to protect its luxury brand packaging customers against counterfeiting and ensures the authenticity of premium products

Greenply Speciality Panels will install a complete pressurized refining system at its MDF production facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, according to the technology supplier Andritz.

Delivering Advanced Heat Protection, Smarter Controls and Simplified Hydraulics for Severe‑Duty Fleets

It is the annual meeting point for the tissue paper industry in Latin America, based on the key pillars of connecting with industry leaders, spreading knowledge, and enhancing business opportunities.

The start-up is scheduled for fall of 2027.

The transaction is expected to close on October 1, 2026.

Xuong Giang Paper has successfully commissioned its new TM16 tissue production line at its mill in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, supported by an advanced stock preparation system supplied by ANDRITZ.

Amcor, a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, has earned two AmeriStar awards from the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) for the AmPrima® recycle ready 150ml refill pouch, and Amcor HealthCare™ reclosable pouch.

Ahlstrom, a global leader in fiber-based specialty materials, today announced the commercial release of Grease-Gard® PLUS and Grease-Gard® PRO, two new products of the Grease-Gard® family designed to expand the offering of high-performance grease-resistant papers for the North American quick service restaurant (QSR) and food service market.

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, marking the 20th consecutive year the company has been recognized for its strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

The achievement makes Charlotte Atlantic's first facility to be TRUE-certified to the Gold level, building on four existing TRUE-certified facilities in Dallas, Texas; Sturgis, Michigan; Greensboro (Spring Garden St.), North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina.

Sealed Air, a global leader in protective packaging, has expanded its paper cushioning portfolio with the introduction of the SEALED AIR® brand ProPad® Mini, a compact system that extends the company's scalable protective packaging strategy to space-constrained fulfillment operations.

The increase is in direct response to the continued inflationary pressures on the business and will take effect for all shipments made on or after September 15, 2026.

Carney said his government will release more details about these retaliatory policies in the "coming days" and that the tariffs would apply to goods like steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics.

Holmen, a Swedish forest and industrial products company, reported second-quarter operating profit of SEK 689 million, down from SEK 807 million a year earlier and SEK 827 million in the first quarter.

UPM remains convinced that the planned joint venture is a necessary step to secure reliable supply continuity for graphic paper customers in Europe and strengthen the resilience of the entire European graphic paper industry, and will continue to engage constructively with the Commission during the next stages of the ongoing investigation.

In addition, the new case names as defendants current CEO Robbert Rietbroek and all eight of the other sitting board members, plus one board member who retired in June.

CSB Discovers that Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company Was Told in July 2025 that the Tank Was Not Fit for Continued Service and Could Fail

A union leader at Woodland Pulp in Baileyville says he lobbied four different superintendents for personal monitors that could have detected the deadly hydrogen sulfide leak that killed 20-year-old intern Kasie Malcolm and 26-year-old engineer Allen Hornberger on January 27.

The Washington Department of Ecology has issued an administrative notice of violation to Nippon Dynawave Packaging following a May 26 storage tank failure at its Longview pulp and paper mill.

Empresas Copec has agreed to provide a capital commitment of $450 million to its forestry subsidiary Arauco. The board called an extraordinary shareholders' meeting for 10 September to approve the capital support agreement.

The support consists of a C$1 million non-repayable contribution and a C$19 million repayable contribution, with repayment scheduled to commence in 2031, subject to the terms of the contribution agreement.

Earlier last month, the USDA Forest Service announced over $105 million in funding for a range of projects that support the forest industry.

The Commerce Commission has given clearance to Kimberly-Clark Corporation to acquire 100% of the shares in Kenvue Inc. as part of a global transaction, subject to an undertaking to divest Kenvue's feminine hygiene business in New Zealand and Australia.

Essity has entered into an agreement to acquire Kenvue's feminine care business in Brazil, including the market-leading brands Carefree, Sempre Livre and o.b. The purchase price amounts to USD 284m (approximately SEK 2.7bn) on a cash and debt-free basis.

The Arnsberg mill has an annual production capacity of about 230,000 tonnes of recycled fibre-based cartonboard and is particularly specialised in the production of liner products. The transaction represents an investment in MM's core business and complements its existing production network.

The Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority has today, on August 17, 2026, approved a supplement to the Finnish language demerger and listing prospectus concerning the partial demerger of UPM-Kymmene Corporation ("UPM") and application of the shares in WISA Group Plc ("WISA") to be admitted for trading on the regulated market of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM will publish the supplement to the prospectus on behalf of WISA.

Acquisition adds specialist nutritional supplement, OTC, consumer health and beauty packaging capabilities as well as deepens Truvant's support for health, wellness and beauty brands.

Fulton Systems, pulp and paper industry steam and condensate system specialists, is the OEM serving North America for over 100 years, and is the mill steam and condensate recovery system provider. The Fulton Systems' steam and condensate systems are engineered to optimize the energy transfer from the boiler to the dryer, re-use the spent steam, and maximize the condensate recovery. The system design include the required controls, thermocompressors, liquid recovery tanks, condensers, pumps, final control devises, and syphons.

Mercer International Inc. has disclosed "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a going concern over the next 12 months, citing upcoming debt maturities, an expected covenant breach and weak operating results amid challenging pulp and wood-product markets.

Bales can differ in size, material quality and tying method. At the same time, stock-preparation areas are often compact, leaving limited room for new equipment or major line modifications. In this environment, the way bale wires are removed has a direct effect on operator safety, material flow and process reliability. To improve this first stage of production, Papierfabriek Doetinchem invested in two Cross Wrap Bale Dewiring Machines. The first was installed in 2019, followed by a second machine in 2023.

The distribution center will stock Sabert's broad range of molded fiber pulp, paper, and plastic food packaging solutions. This will support a wide range of customer needs.

Light Wrap

The report highlights PHP's activities and accomplishments through 2025, underscoring the company's continued dedication to safety, sustainability, and long-term value for its customers, partners, employees, and the broader Nova Scotia community.

The report highlights the company's progress across four corporate responsibility pillars: Forests, Planet, People, and Practices. These pillars focus on managing forests sustainably, minimizing environmental impacts, focusing on Team Members and safety, and prioritizing strong governance practices.

Eighteen years after signing their first agreement, Sofidel and WWF Italy renew one of the longest-standing partnerships in the history of WWF Italy, in a year when both organizations celebrate the 60th anniversary of their founding. The renewed partnership focuses on three areas of collaboration: climate and energy transition, responsible forest sourcing, and stakeholder awareness.

The Eastern Energy Alliance, Kruger Energy, and Potentia Renewables are pleased to announce the $521-M financial closing of the Saint-Paul-de-Montminy Wind Farm Project. The funding, combined with a government order authorizing the project that was secured last winter, will enable the project to move forward.

The decision will remove approximately 380,000 metric tons of northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp from the market annually. The announcement will affect approximately 400 employees.

"This is an immensely difficult day for the Sunshine Coast."

Company starts removing wreckage of the 900,000-gallon white liquor tank and plans to install temporary tanks to restart the mill.

Giannolo joined Sonoco in 2019 and prior to this new appointment was Vice President of Commercial for Sonoco's Consumer Packaging EMEA/APAC business.

A storage tank ruptured and caught fire at Stora Enso's Kaukopää industrial site in Imatra, southeastern Finland, early on August 18, with around 50 cubic metres of tall oil spilling onto the site and some entering nearby Lake Saimaa.

RYAM in Temiscaming, Quebec is closing its doors to its industrial complex next month due to the 50 percent tariff situation across the border.